Book Review: A Time to Dance by Padma Venkatraman

A Time to Dance by Padma Venkatraman

Cover Courtesy of Amazon

Amazon Synopsis: Padma Venkatraman’s inspiring story of a young girl’s struggle to regain her passion and find a new peace is told lyrically through verse that captures the beauty and mystery of India and the ancient bharatanatyam dance form. This is a stunning novel about spiritual awakening, the power of art, and above all, the courage and resilience of the human spirit.

Veda, a classical dance prodigy in India, lives and breathes dance—so when an accident leaves her a below-knee amputee, her dreams are shattered. For a girl who’s grown used to receiving applause for her dance prowess and flexibility, adjusting to a prosthetic leg is painful and humbling. But Veda refuses to let her disability rob her of her dreams, and she starts all over again, taking beginner classes with the youngest dancers. Then Veda meets Govinda, a young man who approaches dance as a spiritual pursuit. As their relationship deepens, Veda reconnects with the world around her, and begins to discover who she is and what dance truly means to her.

My Review: This book was recommended to me by someone, but unfortunately, it did not live up to my expectations at all. The fact that it was in verse surprised me (I realized the format after buying the book), but it actually fit the story overall, and I didn't mind it (and I'm usually one to put down books that aren't novels/novellas). The problem was mainly with the romance in this story. I didn't expect much of it based on the synopsis, but this whole book was basically Veda's romantic views.

Veda was a nice character herself, but I especially liked Paati, who was a warm grandmother to her while Veda learned to recover from her accident. Veda had to deal with a lot of teasing, and even her best friend wasn't always cooperative at times. However, her character growth is definitely present, and she learns what dance is truly all about.

Overall, I give this book 3 stars. If you're looking for a bit of a romantic story, go for it, as it felt like 50% romance and 50% dance.